New England Chapter No. 8
The National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors
28th ANNUAL WILLARD HOUSE and CLOCK MUSEUM WORKSHOP
Saturday May 31, 2025, 9:15 to 2:00 p.m.
WillardHouse&ClockMuseum
11WillardSt.,NorthGrafton,MA01536
508‐839‐3500
THIS YEAR’S WORKSHOP
We are pleased to have speakers noted for their knowledge, experience, and their ability to give informative and interesting talks. Even if you do not perform repairs or restorations, you will still benefit as a clock and/or watch collector by gaining a better understanding of what makes up these pieces.
SCHEDULE
9:15 a.m. Registration and morning refreshments
9:30 a.m. General Introductions
9:45 a.m. Programs begin
10:45 a.m. Coffee Break and Snacks
10:00 a.m. Program continuation
12:15 p.m. Catered box lunch
1:00 p.m. Program continuation
2:00 p.m. Self-guided tours of the Willard House and Museum
THE LINE UP
Tom Vaughn – 18th Century Clock Making Demonstration
Tom Vaughn is an early-American historian and a Connecticut Clockmaker. He has spent his clock making career reproducing and collecting original tools of the trade. Learn about clockmaking in the 18th century with a focus on the working tools of clockmaker Daniel Burnap and workshop of Benjamin Cheney. See a working 'wheel cutting engine' and watch how wooden or brass gears were precision cut. See some examples of other clock making tools and equipment and learn about the earliest clocks made by the Willard family. Tom will bring his tools, do some wheel cutting, and it time permits, he has an engraved brass dial that needs to be silver-plated the traditional way that’s always fun to watch.
Patrick Mont – Chelsea Clock Company: 146 Years of Boston Clockmaking
Patrick is a member of the AWCI Industry Advisory Board, President of the Massachusetts Watchmaker’s Clockmakers Association, clockmaker at the Chelsea Clock Company, and the 2023 recipient of the David G. Gow Memorial Scholarship for Horology. He will talk about the history of Chelsea Clock and the Joseph Eastman family of Boston Clockmaking.
Robert Cheney – Charles N. Grichar Center at Willard House and Clock Museum
As Executive Director and Curator of the Willard House and Clock Museum, a third-generation clockmaker, dealer, nationally recognized authority on early American clocks, and having served as a conservator and consultant for over fifty museums including Old Sturbridge Village, Worcester Art Museum, American Antiquarian Society and the Museum of Fine Arts, Robert is a well-known friend to all of us involved with Chapter 8 and needs no real introduction. What needs introduction are the exciting preparations being made at Willard House for the planned construction of the Charles N. Grichar Center which will be built behind the historic house and workshop with no changes to the 18th century building. This 10,000 square foot facility will showcase Charles’ collections including over 80 clock masterworks by the Willard family and Edward Howard of Boston and 400 fine mechanical pocket and wrist watches. The Center will also contain a research library containing the donated collections of Robert Cheney, Paul Foley, and other resources that will be a treasure trove for all horological researchers.
Travel Information
- Take any route to Grafton Center. Follow signs to Willard Museum.
- From Mass Pike, take exit 11, turn right, follow Rte. 122 to Rte. 140 to Grafton Center. Follow signs to Willard Museum.
- From I‐495, take Rte. 9 to Rte. 30, turn into Willard Road at Tufts Veterinary Campus. Follow signs to Willard Museum.
Registration:
We would prefer that Members login to the website to Register HERE and pay using a credit card or ACH. Logging in as a member saves us some processing fees and also enables those whose membership has expired to renew! If you have forgotten your login credentials, press the “Member Login” at the top of the left‐hand panel and then the “Forgot My Username/Password” on the following screen. A new temporary password and your username will be sent to your email address on file.
Alternatively, members may register using this downloadable Registration Form.
Willard House Registration